Media Release

Mangaluru, Dec 3: “The central government is strengthening the forensic infrastructure in the country in order to punish the guilty and combat atrocities against women and rape of girls,” said Dr Chandrashekhar, deputy director of Regional Forensic Laboratory.

He addressed the delegates as chief guest during the inauguration of the national conference on ‘Evidence: Res Ipsa Loquitur’ (The things speaks for itself) organized by the department of Forensic Science of Srinivas Medical College, Mukka, Surathkal.

“In most POCSO cases in the country, the guilty are convicted on the basis of forensic evidence. The government has initiated measures to open forensic science centres in all the states and union territories of India. Furthermore, the government has announced plans to establish one central and eight state forensic universities,” Dr Chandrasekhar said.

"Nowadays, courts are increasingly relying on scientific evidence to settle criminal cases. Therefore, the discipline of forensic science has a significant role to play in detecting and proving crime," he said.

Inaugurating the conference, Raghavendra Rao, president of Shamrao Foundation, said that more research in any medical field, including forensic science, would be encouraged.

A Srinivas Rao, pro-chancellor of Srinivas University and vice-president of Shamrao Foundation said that forensic science plays an important role in investigating and proving crime.

Dr Saritha D’Souza, head of the department of Criminology and Forensic Science, Roshni Nilaya, spoke on ‘Role of Forensic Science in Investigating Crime’. Dr Geetalakshmi P, senior scientific officer, Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Kuntikana spoke on ‘Role of Biological Evidences Crime Investigation’.

Presently, there is only one DNA lab in Bengaluru and this results in delay in getting analysis reports for over a year. Therefore, there is a need to start regional DNA labs in the state. Having just blood samples is not sufficient to prove anything in court. DNA is the best scientific evidence to prove a crime, doctors participating in discussion felt.

Dr Ramana Rao, chancellor of Srinivas University, Dr Anil Kumar, registrar, Dr Shyam Kishore, Dr Udayakumar, Dr Vrinda J Bhat, Swathi D were present on the occasion.